IN-Newsletter
Vol. 25, No. 33
August 20, 2002
Marketing & Sales
Marketing
Bob completed work on the survey intended to provide helpful data for the upcoming Antenna Book, 20th edition. Bob sent the surveys (via e-mail) to a group of existing ARRL Antenna Book customers. Questions were formulated with the assistance of the Book Team and Dean Straw.
Bob attended a book-planning meeting with Jan Carman and Steve Ford. The meeting focused on projects to be included in the 2003 publications plan.
Bob provided new copy for our personalized cover letter to new hams
Sales
Our Fall membership recruitment mailing project is progressing. We will be mailing two groups of 30,000 to lapsed General, Advanced and Extra licensees. Two separate package types are being created as part of our ongoing search for the most effective promotion method.
Deb Jahnke spent a significant amount of time working on revenue projections for membership and various advertising products.
Lisa Tardette had another great week with pubs telemarketing. She accrued a total of $8,322.91 in orders. She also recruited one of our present dealers, Amateur Accessories located in Champaign IL, to begin to carry QST on a monthly basis.
Kathy Capodicasa is continuing to meet daily with ISD working on the computer conversion. We are currently working on extensive testing for the membership auto renewal program. We are prepared for live testing for both membership and product sales and are awaiting "ready-set-go" instructions. Fulfillment staff diligently continues daily practice sessions.
Fulfillment staff is updating the US renewal notices to reflect the premium membership option.
Hanan Rayyashi traveled to the Huntsville Hamfest this past weekend. She reports that it was a great show. Saturday seemed to have steady traffic. Sunday had less traffic but did give the vendors more time to SELL their products. Hanan had an opportunity to visit with several QST advertisers. Hanan also had the opportunity to meet with some of the smaller vendors at the show to discuss their interest in advertising.
Prior to going to Huntsville, Hanan coordinated the preparation of insertion orders for the October issue of QST scheduled to ship to the printer on August 27. Carol Patton and Hanan continue to test the advertising portion of the new computer system.
Dennis Motschenbacher traveled to Sevierville, TN and spent the day with key personnel at the Ten Tec factory. Dennis presented two unique advertising techniques that ARRL feels would enhance their new product introduction plan. Dennis and his staff will prepare a formal proposal requested by Ten Tec.
The Huntsville Hamfest was the last stop for Dennis before heading back to CT. Dennis again made a presentation about new advertising offerings and a formal proposal was requested.
In Huntsville, Dennis met with all of the officers of the American Amateur Radio Enthusiasts (AARE) industry group. Dennis expressed his concerns about lack of progress to date with member-company recruitment efforts and intra-organization communications. A spirited exchange followed that Dennis feels with lead to improvements in both areas.
Membership Services
Awards Branch
WAC Certificates 39
WAC Endorsements 10
25-Year Member Certificates 45
40-Year Member Certificates 18
25-Year Member Awards 1
40-Year Member Awards 1
Long Term Member Awards Mailed 64
WAS Awards Mailed 34
Long Term Member Inquiries 5
VUCC Backfill Applications 2
Grids (Data Entry) 231
VUCC Endorsement Applications 4
Grids (Data Entry) 512
VUCC Initial Applications 2
Grids (Data Entry) 10
Processing Status: Current or within three weeks. For the coming week-WAS and WAC QSL card checking, VUCC, RCC, OTC, and Friendship awards, mail out VUCC awards, order the 50- and 60-year member plaques, order plates for the 5BWAS plaques, and work on budget matters.
DXCC Branch
DXCC Weekly August 18, 2002
Beginning Cards 70,572
Cards Received 11,953
Cards Processed 10,669
Ending Cards 71,856
Applications Pending 674
Processing Time 5 Weeks
Year-to-date
Cards Received 401,794
Cards Returned 449,117
QRP Issued this week 0
QRP YTD 225
DXCC is currently mailing applications received on July 23, 2002. DXCC is currently entering cards received on July 29, 2002.
Contest Branch
Data entry for paper Field Day submissions was completed and transferring of the over 800 email with Field Day entries and support documentation began. Checked results from the DX Phone contest were received from the Log Checking team, formatted and merged into the master database. The various boxes and results were then sent to N0AX, who will author the write-up. The backordered Sweepstakes plaques were received and the final 2001 SS Plaques were shipped. January VHF certificates were stuffed and mailed. 10 GHz certificates were printed and mailed. Dan worked with Sue Fagan on new certificate designs for HF Contests, November Sweepstakes, and VHF/UHF events.
QSL Branch
QSL service status: Current. Cards mailed year to date as of 08/18/2002 - 1,301,725. No cards mailed this week. Thanks to Jo-Ann Arel & other staff members for conducting tours while Janet Rocco was on vacation.
W1AW
On Saturday, Mike Tracy, KC1SX, hosted members of the New England QRP Club. After their meeting in HQ, nine members operated W1AW, some of them using QRP power. Contacts were made on 40, 20 and 15 meters using CW and SSB. Joe Carcia updated the web code practice files and processed regular W1AW QSL card requests. He also began work on the second donated Hewlett Packard GPS Receiver/Frequency Standard for the Lab. Scott Gee worked on fast and slow code practice runs for the latter part of the month of August and early September. He handled some evening phone sales calls in the 5 PM to 8 PM time slot. W1AW telephone sales year to date (2002): $7,616.
Field & Educational Services
Troubles with spacesuits shortened NASA's spacewalk for over an hour, so our ARISS antenna did not get installed on the ISS (we're last on the to-do list). Rosalie worked with staff to arrange furniture and space for our new staffer Howard Robins. She did the first draft about new plans for ARRL's electronic aids for SMs, and composed a task list for departmental coordination of the National Convention.
The Big Project
Jerry Hill completed the last of the curriculum and submitted it for edit and layout. He worked on a draft of the 2003 budget, and will be representing ARRL at the ARRL Southwestern Division Conference in San Diego.
Field Organization/ Public Service Team
Puerto Rico SM ballots were due at Hq August 16; ballot counting took place August 20. Leona Adams recruited the help of Gail and Margie for opening envelopes and counting ballots. Leona sent current and expired appointment lists to SMs, and entered 22 expense reports into Section budgets. She is preparing SM Workbooks for newly-appointed SMs; six OO test packages were sent.
Chuck Skolaut received our first electronic version of the OOC monthly reports from Virginia OOC W4NEZ, and they look fine. Chuck has been keeping in touch with Riley Hollingsworth and the Eastern Pennsylvania OOC about an ongoing repeater interference case. This week, Chuck learned more about the ULS system and that will help in assisting with Regulatory questions.
Details on our new ARES garments are being finalized; we'll announce these within a week or so. Steve Ewald focused on October Section News and other QST duties. He, Mark and Rosalie worked to disseminate to SMs the plan for Section News, including sending it to members without Web access. An update on emcomm grants was shared with SMs prior to the public release. NNJ SM Hudzik visited HQ with his club, which will celebrate its 75th year in October; they presented a commemorative certificate to ARRL. Steve and Rosalie worked on SM Workshop planning.
Field & Educational Support Team
Mary Lau is working with Maury Guzick, Chairman of the 2003 Ham-Com and ARRL National Convention to be held in Arlington, TX, on June 20-22, 2003. ARRL Section/Division e-relays this week were: 1 = CO, GA, AR, SFL, NE, EBA. Div: 1= HU, ROA, SW.
Jean Wolfgang reports on Saturday (8/17) the winner of the 2001 Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Award will receive her plaque and check from Director Art Goddard at the Southwestern Division Convention (CA). We expect the 2001 ARRL Herb S. Brier winner will receive his plaque on 8/25 at the St Charles (MO) hamfest by Director Wade Walstrom.
Jo-Ann Arel updated 24 clubs and I instructor, mailed 4 Exhibit Kits, 4 Videos, and 2 JOTA Kits. She also completed 5 tours and coverage duty in Contest and for Penny.
Gail Iannone wrote 54 hamfest and 9 convention announcements for the October issue of QST. She also sent 2 hamfest approval letters and 3 convention approval letters to the sponsoring clubs confirming the Division Director's approval of the events as ARRL-sanctioned, and processed 8 door prize orders.
Margie Bourgoin reports that the EC voted by email to affiliate 11 new Clubs. She has added the clubs to TASS, sent out welcome packets and letters and printed their charter certificates. Margie's noticed an increase in teacher phone calls and scout-related calls -- typical for this time of year with the start of school soon approaching.
Regulatory Information
John assisted amateurs with local government restrictions in Carlisle, PA (W3/9K2AQ); Muncy, PA (N2ZWU) and Park Ridge, IL (WA9GFP). He assisted amateurs with covenant concerns in Sterling, VA (W2BHK); Shannon Hills, AR (KC5CMX) and West Palm Beach, FL (KA1HXG). The next revision of The FCC Rule Book is to be a new printing. John is also working with Marsh Affinity Group Services regarding their next ad for QST, and with the Marsh Webmaster regarding the text for the ARRL Equipment Insurance and the ARRL Club Liability Insurance Plans.
CCE
Jerry Ellis registered 23 students for the New England Division Convention's Level I AREC review course -- 2 of these were under the UTC grant. Jerry is fielding many CNCS queries; he assisted with remodeling the office to make room for our newest staffer.
Dan Miller says that thanks to the excellent efforts of many, implementation of the CNCS grant has moved up to the next level. The UTC grant process is moving ahead and on-time. He attended the CTDLC membership meeting and found that most educational facilities share the same concerns as ARRL -- student dropout, marketing and insufficient on-line mentors to handle student load. It surprised most of them that our online courses fare better with these issues than degree-providing courses!
Lab
The Lab completed the first phase of its field testing of the impact of wireless networking devices on 5.8 GHz. Tests were conducted at a distance of 100 meters separation between the simulated spread-spectrum networking signal and an amateur 5.76 GHz receiver. The results as measured were less than a dB different than what was calculated. The Washington team will let the Lab know what additional testing might be necessary.
The details for the upcoming RFI Services training course have been finalized. 18 students are expected to attend, so the course has been moved to the Conference Room. Riley Hollingsworth will be among the attendees.
Earlier in the year, Reliant Energy had received the "FCC power-line interference" letter. They responded to Riley with a position that the Part 15 rules that required that the operators of incidental emitters that cause harmful interference to a Radio Service did not apply to Amateur Radio because we were not selling any radio services. An FCC response, which was sent out about a week ago, explained in no uncertain terms that the Part 15 rules about incidental emitters applied to interference to Amateur Radio. The letter was released in the public domain, so a follow-up story appeared on the ARRL Web this week.
Michael Tracy continued to help Joe Carcia prepare for the upcoming W1AW Frequency Measuring Test, and provided some frequency data for a QST article on the same subject authored by Ward Silver, N0AX. Michael also wrapped up some "last-minute details" for the QST Product Review on the Yaesu VX-7R HT.
73,
Sincerely,
Mark Wilson, K1RO
Chief Operating Officer
MW:lk
Staff Absentee List
Name Date(s) Reason
All Staff 9/2 Holiday
Dave Sumner 9/1-9/24 Geneva & Vacation
Dave Patton 8/20-8/26 Tokyo Ham Fair
`` 8/23 JARL HQ
Jen Hagy 8/19-8/23 Medical
Ed Hare 8/23-8/25 West Virginia State Convention
AnnMarie Pinto 8/12-8/23 Vacation
Maty Weinberg 8/27-8/30 Vacation
Rick Lindquist 8/22-8/25 New Mexico State Convention
Bob Inderbitzen 8/19-8/23 Vacation
Dennis Motschenbacher 8/23-8/24 Boxboro Hamfest
Brennan Price 8/17-8/23 Kansas State Convention & Vacation
Sharon Taratula 8/19-8/23 Vacation
Mahjabeen Kabir 8/23-8/27 Vacation
Scott Gee 8/23 Vacation
Margie Bourgoin 8/29 Jury Duty
Leona Adams 8/26-8/28 Vacation
John Hennessee 8/26-9/3 Vacation
Dan Miller 9/9 WPA Convention
Bart Jahnke 8/20-8/22 Vacation
Steve Ford 9/12-9/15 Digital Communications Conference
